July 14, 2011 – In the 16 months since the Black Keys released their last album Brothers, the blues-rock duo have toured the world, accepted three Grammys, played Saturday Night Live, rocked festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo, and filmed a few videos, including the short film Howlin' For You starring snowboarder Shaun White and Twilight's Christian Serratos. Oh, and drummer Patrick Carney got engaged to be married. Somehow they found time to record their seventh studio album, too. "It's the fastest we've ever played," singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach says of the LP's new songs, which he says were inspired by the Clash, the Cramps, and old rock'n'roll, rockabilly, and garage rock records. "The new album doesn't sound like Brothers. It doesn't have that open soul feel to it. It's way more driving and the tempos are really fast." The yet-to-be-titled new record will be released later this year.

July 13, 2011 – One of the year's most anticipated releases is taking shape. The cover art and tracklist for Strange Mercy (out 9/13), the third album from Brooklyn's doe-eyed pixie St. Vincent, dropped online Wednesday -- check 'em out! The cover art (right) was designed by St. Vincent, aka 28-year-old singer-songwriter Annie Clark, and photographed by frequent SPIN contributor Tina Tyrell. To support the album St. Vincent is hitting the road for a 22-date North American tour that kicks off October 2 in Minneapolis. Strange Mercy, the follow-up to 2009's Actor, was produced by John Congleton (Modest Mouse, Explosions in the Sky) and features 11 tracks, including collaborations with Midlake's MacKenzie Smith and Beck keyboardist Brian LeBarton. Strange Mercy Track listing:1. "Chloe in the Afternoon?" 2. "Cruel?"3. "Cheerleader?"4. "Surgeon"?5. "Northern Lights?"6. "Strange Mercy?"7.

July 13, 2011 – The tracklist for Kanye West and Jay-Z's collabo album Watch the Throne hit Hova's Life + Times website Wednesday and it's packed: Beyonce and Mr. Hudson each guest on one track, while Frank Ocean appears on two. The tracklist also boasts a song "featuring" the late soul king Otis Redding; and a deluxe edition of the album, which will arrive with four additional tunes, features a sample of Curtis Mayfield. The song "H.A.M.," which dropped online in January, has been pushed to the bonus disc as well. The unofficial release date is August 2. Jay-Z, who is now working on his next solo album, reached out to Ocean after hearing his Nostalgia, Ultra mixtape and asked him to sing on his upcoming solo effort, according to MTV's RapFix blog. Their first sessions went so well that Jay invited Ocean to contribute to Watch the Throne. British crooner Mr.

July 13, 2011 – Nick Oliveri, the former bassist for Queens of the Stone Age and current low ender for Kyuss Lives!, was arrested on Tuesday after a five-hour standoff with a S.W.A.T. team at his Hollywood home, the Los Angeles Times reports. TMZ reports that the incident began with an argument Oliveri and his girlfriend had on Monday, during which the rocker struck her. She left but returned Tuesday to gather her belongings and move out when the two started arguing again. A neighbor called 911 to report a disturbance and the 39-year-old Oliveri locked himself and his girlfriend inside the apartment. When police arrived Oliveri wouldn't let his girlfriend leave. A S.W.A.T. Team was called and a standoff ensued until Oliveri released his girlfriend and later gave himself up without incident.

July 11, 2011 – Coheed and Cambria bassist Michael Todd was arrested Sunday night for allegedly robbing a pharmacy outside Boston — just hours before his band was scheduled to take the stage at the Comcast Center, where they were opening for Soundgarden, the Boston Globe reports. Attleboro, MA, police responded to a robbery report at a Walgreens around 1 P.M. on July 10, when Todd, 30, allegedly demanded Oxycontin and threatened pharmacists with a fake bomb. "The male was given six bottles of pain pills," police told The Hollywood Reporter. A passerby then spotted Todd fleeing the scene in a taxi, which police tracked to the backstage area of the Comcast Center. Todd was then arrested and charged with armed robbery and possession of a controlled substance.

July 8, 2011 – Los Angeles alt-metal vets Incubus will release their seventh studio album, If Not Now, When?, on July 12. But SPIN has an exclusive premiere of two new tracks. Check out "Friends and Lovers" and "Switchblade" below. "This is our most restrained, slow, and lush record we've ever written," frontman Brandon Boyd told SPIN in April, while the band was deep into the making of the record. He wasn't kidding. "Friends and Lovers" is a tender and warm slow jam, while "Switchblade" brings a softer groove and pop sensibility to their trademark funk-rock blitz. In August, Incubus will launch a massive 31-date tour that stretches into October. See their complete dates here. Incubus, "Friends and Lovers" Incubus, "Switchblade"

July 8, 2011 – Minneapolis pop-punk quintet Motion City Soundtrack have finished recording their yet-to-be-titled fifth studio album, which they hope to release... Well, that's the problem. The band parted ways with Columbia Records in early 2011, so when it came time to record the new LP at their hometown Flower Studios this spring with producer Ed Ackerson (BNLX, Polara), the five members pried opened their own wallets. Now they have a new album and no way to release it... yet. We caught up with singer-guitarist Justin Pierre, 35, who explains: So what's the plan for releasing the new album?We have absolutely no idea [laughs]. But it's coming out one way or another this year. We have so many options. Oh yeah...?We have a handful of songs we're sending to various labels that have said they're interested. Another plan is to put it out ourselves, if all else fails.

July 8, 2011 – On September 13, Portland, OR's experimental folk rockers Blitzen Trapper will release their sixth full-length studio album, American Goldwing, via Sub Pop -- and now the first taste of the LP has made its way online. Download the title track in the widget below -- in exchange for an email address, which goes to the band. The song is classic Blitzen: It's a tripped-out country rock jam with blaring harmonica, dueling piano solos, space-y synth effects, and honky-tonk guitar riffs all set to a truckin' drum beat. Frontman Eric Earley adds his hallmark ramblin'-talk storytelling, this time a tale about a wanderer who "left my home and all my money to wrestle with the wind." "These songs will make you want to get loaded and get in a fight, or find a girl and fall in love forever, simultaneously," Earley said of American Goldwing.

July 7, 2011 – San Francisco garage rock duo Girls, who made 2009's most captivating debut album, will return on September 13 with their second LP, Father, Son, Holy Ghost -- and this time they're playing with the power and versatility of a five-piece band. After touring and recording with various musicians, Girls' founders, singer-guitarist Christopher Owens and bassist Chet JR White, have settled on a more permanent lineup, adding guitarist John Anderson, drummer Darren Weiss, and keyboardist Dan Eisenberg. "We didn't have [a quintet] on the first album," Owens tells SPIN. "I played everything except for the bass and a few random drum parts.

July 6, 2011 – After reuniting his legendary '90s indie rock band Pavement last year for a lengthy tour, Stephen Malkmus will return as a solo force on August 23 with his fifth LP, Mirror Traffic. Recorded with his longtime backing band the Jicks and produced by Beck, the album is the most stylistically varied, best release of Malkmus' post-Pavement career. SPIN called the 45-year-old father of two at his Portland, OR, home to chat about the record and working with Beck. The first sound that buzzed through the receiver was his two daughters, seven and four years old, laughing hysterically... Got your hands full, huh?Yeah. I had to set the kids up with some Dora The Explorer. My wife's been out of town for eight days now. Party time! So, Beck produced your new album. Are you guys old friends?Well, I wouldn't say friends. He's a pretty private guy. But he's definitely an ally.